Strap for wrist watches



May 24, 1932. I Q DUERR STRAP FOR,WRIST WATCHES Filed Oct. 27, 1928 INVENTOR cHA EL 55 D uERR ATTORNEYS Patented May 24, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES DUE-RR, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO S. BRUN ER, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK STRAP FOR WRIST WATCHES Application filed October 27, 1928. Serial No. 315,366.

This invention relates to flexible bands as, for example, straps for wrist watches, bracelets, ornamental neck bands or other articles of jewelry.

Although the present invention may have a variety of useful applications it is shown and described herein as employed to hold a wrist watch in position.

Wrist Watches have attained considerable popularity and many types of bands or straps have been devised, beginning with the leather strap and developing into numerous straps constructed of metal.

The metal strap has gained favor, being free from the disadvantage of stretching and becoming damp from absorbed perspiration.

In the making of a wrist watch strap it is necessary to have flexibility so that the strap will take the shape of the wrist to the comfort of the wearer. It is also important to provide a strap of a smooth symmetrical appearance so as to make a pleasing addition to the watch which it secures in place.

In copending application Serial No. 262,737, filed March 19, 1928 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, a wrist watch strap is shown composed of a metallic mesh and the present invention has for its object to provide a wrist watch strap of the same general character as that mentioned in the said application but of smooth appearance and simulating a plain metal band and at the same time possessing the desired flexibility.

A wrist watch strap constructed in accordance with my invention is made up of a plurality of tubular metallic sections secured by pairs of locking elements enclosed by the sections which cooperate therewith to hold the members in locked relation.

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a strap made in accordance with the present invention attached to a wrist watch;

Fig. 2 shows a portion of a strap with a partly broken away section to show the looking elements;

Fig. 3 shows a tubular section with the locking members about to be inserted;

Fig; 4 is an edge view of a strap having a connector or fastener and Fig. 5 is a modification of the elements constituting the latch and latch piece.

{in embodiment of the invention may comprise a strap 10 composed of a plurality of tubular sections 11 which in the present construction are of sheet metal and of rectangular transverse cross section. The sections 11 are disposed in close adjacent relation to constitute a strap or band and are held in such relation by pairs of locking members 12 and 13. These locking members 12 and 13 which may be termed a latch and latch-piece respectively, serve to hold the sections 11 in flexible relation. The latch 12 is provided with a hook portion 14 and the latch-piece13 is provided with a hook portion 15.

These hooks are arranged to extend over the edges of and to embrace adjacent Walls 16 and 17 of adjacent tubular sections and the locking members are so proportioned and arranged that when moved into place within a tubular section a lip 18 on the latch 12 will engage with a lip 19 on the latch-piece 13.

For the purpose of holding the locking members in locked relation their combined width is so proportioned that surface 20 of the latch-piece 13 will engage wall 16 of a tubular section while the latch 12 is held against the wall 17. By reason of the construction and material of the members they are sufficiently elastic to permit a slight spring so that the lips 18 and 19 may be snapped into engagement and by reason of the opposing walls of the tubular section, such relation is maintained. Each of the locking members may occupy only a portion "of the space within its tubular section, the

remaining space being provided for the en trance of the hook portions 14 and 15, thus it will be evident that if the tubular sections are made just sufficiently wide to admit the locking members the opening at the ends thereof will be entirely filled and a smooth symetrical appearance will result.

l/Vhen a plurality of tubular sections 11 have been secured by a plurality of pairs of locking members, a slight relative movement of each of the sections may be had with the result that the strap so constructed is of a flexible nature and when used as a band for a wrist watch will take the contour of the wrist and serve as well as a leather strap without the disadvantages above mentioned.

As shown in the drawings, a strap com-- posed of a plurality of tubular sections may be readily attached to a watch 21 since end sections 11' and 11 may have tubular extensions 22 and 22 to provide 'apertrn'es to receive pilns 23 and 24: as commonly provided for securing a metallic strap to a watch. The free ends 25 and 26 may also be provided with sections having similar tubular extensions 27 and 28. The extensions? may be attached to a latch plate 29 adapted to engage with a notched member 30. The latch plate is pro vided with flanges 31 and 32 having sen-ations on their inner surface to the notched member 30. This lock or connector is more clearly shown in the above mentioned cope-nding application.

As shown *in Fig. 5 the locking members may be modified and as illustrated, the same may include parts and 34: having hook portions 35 and 36 respectively to secure sec tions 11. The member 34 may be provided with a head 3?? adapted to be engaged by spring jaws 38 and 39 on the member '33. The action and function of the latch members 33 and 34 is the same as the members dicated by the nnmer-alls 12' and 13 and provide a latch for securing the sections 11 in flexible relation. hen the members 83 and 34 are inserted into opposite ends of a sec tion 11 they are moved toward each other until the jaws 3S and '39 snap over the head 37, thus securing them against removal since it will be evident that the are held from movement away from the head the walls of the enclosing section 11..

From the aibove'i't will be evident that the present invention provides a simple and effective construction for a chain or strap wherein the various parts may be quickly and easily assembled and at relatively low cost.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein, it is to be understood that modifications may made there-in wit-heat departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended cl-aims.

What is claimed is: v

1. Means for connecting adjacent tubular sections in adjustable relation comprising pairsert coupling menlbers,each of said-members being of substantially U-s'ha-pe, the legs of the opposite members of said pair extending into adjacent tubular sections, .a latch on the of one member and a latch piece on the leg of an oppositely disposed member, said latch and .latdh piece being held :engagd ment by contact with the wall ost :the tubular section enclosing rsaid legs.

2. A device ort the class :de'scnibedcomprising tubular sections, connector members of substantially U-shape having a long leg and a relatively short leg, said members being disposed in opposite ends of adjacent tubular members, with the long legs of opposite members extending toward each other and the short legs of opposite members disposed in adjacent tubular sections and means for engaging the ends of said oppositely disposed long legs to prevent an endwise movement of said members from said sections.

3. A device of the class described compristn-bular sections, connector members of substantially U-shape having a long leg and a relatively short leg, said members being disposed in opposite ends of adjacent tubular members, with the long legs of opposite members extending toward each other and the short legs of opposite members disposed in adjacent tubular sections and means for engaging the ends of said oppositely disposed long legs .to prevent an endwise movement of said members from said sections, said oppositely disposed long legs being so proportioned as to engage the walls of a tubularsec- .tion for retention in engaged relation.

4-, A device of the class described comprising coupling members formed from sheet material and having two substantially parallel portions connected by a transverse portion, said members being formed in pairs, .one parallel portion of one member having a lip, one parallel portion of the other member having a lip said portions extending into opposite ends of a tubular section and disposed with opposite lips in interlocking engagement,said portions having a combined width substantially equal .to distance between opposite interior Walls of the section whereby said lips are held engaged 5. Means for attaching tubular sections in flexible relation com-prising pairs of U-shaped members, a leg portion of one member having a latch and a leg portion of the other memher having a latch-pieceto provide inter-locking portions, said interlocking portions beingdisposed with-in a tubular section, the remaining leg of each of said members being disposed in :an adjacent tubular section to connect the same to the section enclosing the inter-locking portions.

6. A device of the class described comprising "a plurality of flat tubular sections, pairs of U-shaped members formed from sheet material, said members being so disposed that corresponding legs of each pair extend into opposite ends of adjacent tubular sections to connect the latter, one pair of said corresponding legs having engaging lips said legs being of a combined width substantiallyequal to the distance between opposite walls of their enclosing section whereby said lips are held in engagement.

'7. Ade-vice 0f the class described comprising a plurality of flat tabular sections having a given internal width and thickness, pairs of flat U-shaped members, the legs of said members being of a width equally to substantially one half the internal width of a section, the thickness of said legs being substantially equal to the internal thickness of a section, said pairs of members being disposed with the legs extending into adjacent sections and in edgewise contiguous relation to provide dividing lines along the longitudinal axes of said sections and means for locking pairs of oppositely disposed legs within their enclosing section.

8. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of fiat tubular sections having a given internal width and thickness, pairs of flat U-shaped members, the legs of said members being of a width equally to substantially one half the internal width of a section, the thickness of said legs being substantially equal to the internal thickness of a section, said pairs of members being disposed with the legs extending into adjacent sections and in edgewise contiguous relation to provide dividing lines along the longitudinal axes of said sections and means for locking pairs of oppositely disposed legs within their enclosing section, said locked legs having a combined width substantially equal to the internal width of a section whereby the said legs are held in inter-locking relation.

9. In a band, chain or linkage, the combination of adjacent link-elements having hollow portions, and means for connecting a plurality of said link-elements in articulated relation comprising bifurcated members adapted for insertion into the hollow portions of two adjoining links to straddle the adjacent walls thereof, said connecting-members having complementary interlocking portions which secure them in position within the connected links.

10. An improved construction of band, chain or linkage for use in ewelry manufacture and kindred arts comprising a series of hollow link-elements arranged in adjacent relation, and pairs of complementary connecting members of bifurcated form having opposite legs adapted to be inserted into the hollow links in straddled relation with their adjoining side walls and formed with interengaging zigzag portions adapted to interlock to permanently secure the parts of the device in assembled relation.

11. An improved construction of band, chain or linkage for use in ewelry manufacture and kindred arts comprising a series of tubular link-elements arranged with their side walls in adjacent relation, and means for coupling said link-elements in articulated relation comprising pairs of bifurcated c011- necting-members having parallel legs adapted to straddle the adjoining side walls of two adjacent link-elements and provided with notches in their opposite edges whereby said members may he slid into the link-elements and the legs of one member sprung apart to pass over and interlock with the legs of the opposite member in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.

12. A jointed band in which is comprised a series of sections of tubing arranged side by side in a row, and means flexibly joining the tubing sections comprising interlocking U-shaped elements each straddling opposite ends of two adjacent tubing sections and spring connected between the ends thereof.

13. A jointed band in which is comprised a series of tubing sections arranged side by side in a row having connecting means consisting in each instance of two U-shaped units with hooks at the free ends thereof adapted when entered into the tubing sections from opposite ends to efiect a snap interengagement.

In testimony whereof I affix my si ature.

CHARLES D RR. 

